Fluocinolone Acetonide Injections Successfully Manage Retinal Vascular Leaks

Fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal (FAI) injections provide benefit to patients with noninfectious uveitis at 6 months after treatment, according to data presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology 2021 annual meeting, held in New Orleans from November 12 through 15.

Researchers sought to prospectively examine outcomes in patients who received FAI injections. The team looked at 28 eyes of 19 patients who received an FAI injection and completed 6 months of posttreatment follow-up. The team noted that 5 eyes from 4 patients required retreatment. Patients received standard of care visits and imaging at baseline and after 6 months. Researchers performed semiautomated fluorescein angiography leakage and optical coherence tomography (OCT) advanced analysis. Patients who were active at month 6 also received a second implant injection. 

The mean best corrected visual acuity improved from 20/42 at baseline to 20/37 at 6 months (P =.02).  Average total leakage was reduced from 2.8% to 1.6% (P =.04), and mean central subfield thickness decreased from 345.4 to 321.0 (P =.15). Last, 3 of the 5 eyes that were given a second implant were quiescent at the most-recent follow-up visit. 

“Eyes treated with the FAI demonstrate improvement in retinal vascular leakage, visual acuity and OCT thickness 6 months after treatment,” the researchers reported. 

Reference

Sharma S, Baynes KM, Ramos M, et al. Six-month imaging outcomes in a prospective study of fluocinolone acetonide intravitreal injection for noninfectious uveitis. Paper presented at: The American Academy of Ophthalmology 2021 Annual Meeting; November 12-15, 2021; New Orleans. Abstract PA009.